First Gershwin Prize recognizes Paul Simon

Paul Simon becomes the first recipient of the "Library of Congress Gershwin Prize for Popular Song" (8 p.m., PBS).

Kevin McDonough

Paul Simon becomes the first recipient of the "Library of Congress Gershwin Prize for Popular Song" (8 p.m., PBS).

Named for George and Ira Gershwin, this newly minted award recognizes the profound and positive effect of American popular music on the world's culture. The prize will be given every year to either a composer or performer whose career and work exemplify the standard of excellence associated with the Gershwins.

Simon seems like a natural to win the first Gershwin Prize. Early in the 20th century, the Gershwins incorporated the relatively new sounds of jazz and swing into orchestral music. Simon has spent the past several decades infusing beats from places as far away as Peru and South Africa into his popular work.

Simon's contributions to popular culture go beyond music. He made a brief but memorable appearance as a mellow, lecherous music producer in "Annie Hall." Simon was also a major contributor to the early days of "Saturday Night Live." In fact, before folks named Belushi, Aykroyd and Radner became household names, Simon was pretty much the biggest star of the show.

Fans of "The Sopranos" who rue its passing, or are still angry and confused about its dark and enigmatic conclusion, can take solace with the repeats, now in steady rotation on A&E. Tonight features two from 2002 that remind us how "The Sopranos" mixed the ever-present threat of violence with absurd situations and black humor.

In tonight's first "Sopranos" (9 p.m., A&E, TV-14), Christopher, Silvio and Ralph take it upon themselves to confront Native American protesters out to disrupt a Columbus Day parade in Newark. Critics and fans were split on this episode. Most thought it was a ridiculous departure from the show's high standards. A few (including me) loved it and saw it as a way of lampooning political correctness and ethnic sensitivities. It was also a light note in a season in which Ralph's character became increasingly erratic and homicidal.

The dark and humorous theme continues in the second helping (10:15 p.m.), when New York crime boss Johnny "Sack" Sacramoni (Vince Curatola) grows incensed when he hears that someone in Tony's crew made a disparaging remark about his wife's ample weight. Of course, sometimes a "fat" joke is more than just a joke. And this act of disrespect would have violent reverberations and cause ruptures between New York and New Jersey that continued until the series' final moments.

"Business Nation" (10 p.m., CNBC) profiles the infamous retail chain Crazy Eddie. Well known in the Northeast for its loud, cheaply produced and outlandish late-night commercials, Crazy Eddie collapsed in 1987 when its owners were convicted of a laundry list of financial irregularities. The company's founders, cousins Eddie and Sam Antar, confront each other for the first time in two decades on tonight's "Business Nation." As their ads used to say: It's going to be In-SANE!!!